Bale is NOT worth £86m, says Real Madrid legend and former record transfer Zidane

Zinedine Zidane says it is ‘incomprehensible’ that Real Madrid paid Tottenham Hotspur £86million to sign Gareth Bale as no player is worth that amount of money.

Bale, 24, joined the Spanish club on September 1 in a world record transfer. Zidane, who is now Carlo Ancelotti’s assistant coach at Real, joined the nine-time European champions in 2001 for a then record fee of £46.6m.

‘I said then I was not worth this,’ he said.

VIDEO Scroll down to watch Zidane's football freestyle

Not worth it: Zinedine Zidane has said that Gareth Bale is not worth the £86million Real Madrid paid for him

Overpriced: Although Zidane did also say he felt the £46.4m paid for him in 2001 was also too much

However, Arsenal’s German defender Per Mertesacker is adamant Arsene Wenger has found value for money in signing Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid for £42.5m, a club record.

Mertesacker, Ozil’s national team-mate, said he will make a ‘massive’ difference to Arsenal’s season and has invigorated the squad. ‘I think he is worth what we paid for him,’ Mertesacker told Sportsmail.

‘He is a phenomenal player and I think he has not reached his best at the moment. I think his contribution to this club will be massive.’